GPL deputy still to return $27.8M back pay

Sep 11, 2015 News

Weeks after Government announced that the deputy head of the Guyana Power and Light Inc. (GPL) gave himself $27.8M in back pay without it being authorised, it appears that not much progress has been made in recovering the monies.
On Wednesday, Minister of Governance, Raphael Trotman, disclosed that the matter may be sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) for advice. However, police officials have said that they are still to get an official complaint and the file has not been forwarded to the investigators as yet.
Deputy Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Administration, Ash Deonarine, was sent on leave more than six weeks ago after auditors found that he signed off on payments to himself.
He reportedly flew out of the country and has promised to repay the monies said to have been transferred to US accounts.
Trotman made it clear Wednesday that a person being out of the jurisdiction does not prevent an investigation from continuing.
Deonarine reportedly claimed that the payments were authorized by board member, Carvil Duncan, who also is facing investigations for taking a $900,000-plus back pay for himself.

Still to return $27M: Ash Deonarine

The suspended deputy head also claimed that he has the documents to prove it.
“If the man says that it was not intended to commit an act of theft and he intends to return it, we will have to see how that goes and call on him to make good on his undertakings to repay,” said Trotman on Wednesday, noting that it is only an allegation.
The Minister said that Government is not in the business of going after people, as that is the job of the police.
The irregular payments to Deonarine and Director, Carvil Duncan, were reportedly picked up during a forensic audit ordered by Government into the PetroCaribe Fund.
Auditors found the two payments and raised the matter. Deonarine was sent on leave. Government then said that the matter was to be handed to the police.
Deonarine reportedly wanted to receive the same level of pay as the Deputy Chief Executive Officer (Technical), Colin Welch, but his approaches to the Board of Directors were rebuffed.
The payments to himself, representing back pay for the period January 2013 to June 2015, were reportedly made between May and June, shortly after the new Government took office. The payments were allegedly countersigned by Duncan, the Director.
With regard to Duncan, the Board of Directors of GPL had approached Government to raise the Directors’ fees from $5,000 to $20,000 monthly but no decision was made.
His back pay represented the 48 months he would have been a Director. Again, both Duncan and Deonarine signed off on the payments.
Duncan had defended the payment saying that he was properly authorized.
GPL is a state-owned entity that has been under fire for its spending and high tariffs. It is handling billions of dollars.
Its CEO, Bharat Dindyal, was sent off recently after serving in that post since December without a contract.
The Board of Directors, headed by Winston Brassington, had accused Dindyal of mismanagement and refusing to cooperate with it.